Gathering the Settling Dust
by FluxYouUp
Summary: Another New Moon Au. It's years after the Cullens departure before Bella sees them again. The familiar vampires aren't exactly what they use to be, but neither is Bella.


**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is purely FANfiction and I take no credit for anything related to the Twilight universe, or anything else recognizable in this story._**

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_**Gathering the Settling Dust**_

Summary: Another New Moon Au. It's years after the Cullens departure before Bella sees them again. The familiar vampires aren't exactly what they use to be, but neither is Bella.

– _This whole story will most likely be in Bella's point of view. If that changes, I will say so beforehand._

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Chapter One: Moving Day

With the last box shoved into the back of the moving van, I took a step back, wiping the sticky sweat from my forehead as I admired my handiwork. It was an intense two and a half hour game of Tetris, but I finally got every single box packed away and ready to be moved along with me.

All by myself.

With a smile of accomplishment, I closed the door to the moving van, my things all neatly loaded in – a kind of trophy in honor of my single-handed efforts. I pulled out my cellphone from my jeans pocket and dialed my father to let him know that I was packed, and I was ready for a new start in a new town, in a new state, surrounded by _new_ people.

He answered on the third ring, his voice hoarse from sleep. I checked my wrist watch, realizing it was five in the am, and grimaced apologetically, though he couldn't see it.

"Sorry for the early wake up call, Dad." I guess I had finished a lot sooner than I thought I would. Another mental pat on the back.

"_Bella?" _He sounded confused, the sleepiness making his voice thick and gravelly. _"Oh... that's okay. Are you all packed?"_

"Yep," I said with pride. "And I didn't need a mans help, did I, Dad?" I giggled. I was so damn happy! Happier than I had been in a long time. It was an amazing feeling. This _free_ feeling.

It took me a while to realize that, in fact, my mother and I had a helluva lot more in common than I originally thought. Neither of us are... or _were_ an independent woman. We both relied on men to get us through the days.

No more, though. Not ever again. Not to sound too Destiny's Child, but I depend on ME.

"_That's great, hunny, though I wouldn't have minded helping you. You know that."_

I sighed, shaking my head. "Yes, I know that. But you also know that I need this. I need this time to myself to... reevaluate. No men to depend on. Not even _you_, Dad."

I heard him answer with a sigh on the other end. But I knew he understood. He had to. After what happened with Xavier... he _had_ to understand. The phone call was brief after that, but no less encouraging. My father, proud of what I was doing, had nothing negative to contribute. Just love and stifled cries of how he would miss me.

I slipped my cell gratefully back into my pocket and headed back inside, tossing my frizzy hair into a ponytail on my way. I couldn't help but stop in the doorway of my now nearly empty living room. The beige walls were bare, stripped down to nothing. The hardwood floor free of the vintage furniture that once laded it. Lighter spots adorned the walls and floor, tokens left behind from the pictures, couch and big screen TV that sat there for so long; the only indication that this was once a home once. That, and...

I walked over to the only piece of furniture left. The massive brown recliner next to the window facing the front yard, angled just perfectly in view of the television.

_Xavier. __That was _his_ chair. His throne, if you will._

A tear almost spilled down my cheek, I could feel it wandering at the corner of my eye, but I quickly wiped it away. I had cried too many tears already for him, and I wasn't about to cry another. I closed my eyes and picked up the white sheet laying haphazardly over the arm of the chair, swinging it out, and covering the memory from head to toe.

"Emmy," I called softly, not tearing my eyes from the ghost in front of me, the sheet swaying lightly in the breeze from the always open window.

I heard her light footsteps, turning the corner from her old bedroom into where I stood, still as a statue. She wrapped her little arms around my leg, her tiny teeth gleaming up at me, her innocent doe eyes peering happily into mine.

She had no idea of the heartache of the world, and for that, I envied her.

"Are you ready? Did you say goodbye to your room?"

"Yep, but Imma miss it," she said sadly, pouting up at me, blinking those big eyes, her long lashes fanning her cheeks.

I smiled as I bent down, still wary of the injured ribs on my right side. They hadn't quite healed yet. I lifted Emmy into my arms, hugging her to me, her dark black ringlets brushing against my cheek. "Your new room is much bigger," I assured her. "And purple!"

She just sighed and snuggled tighter into my arms, her bright blue eyes drooping. She insisted on waking up when I did this morning.

I locked the door on our way out, not even pausing to take a second look. After quickly tossing the house and garage keys into the mailbox for the landlord, I buckled Emmy into her car seat, her tiny head lolling with the exhaustion she fought so hard to keep at bay. I kissed her forehead once, smoothing back her tussled hair.

"Sleepy time," I murmured quietly.

We were on the road for no more than forty minutes when Emmy yawned, long and loud. She smiled sleepily at me in the rear view mirror, wiping at her eyes. "Mama?" she called with another drawn out yawn.

"Yes?" I turned to smile back at her before grabbing my sunglasses from the passenger seat. Slipping them on, I turned back to the brightening road that seemed to never end.

I nearly veered off track at the next words to leave my daughters mouth. "Is daddy gonna be at the new house?"

Tapping my fingers restlessly on the wheel, I tried to think of something, anything I could, to say to my little girl that wouldn't break her fragile little heart, but nothing came to mind. I wasn't going to lie to her, but I wasn't going to tell my impressionable three year old the exact truth.

No, the truth is too difficult to bear, and not for a child's ears.

"No, hunny," I sighed. "Daddy won't be at our new house."

I didn't look back to see the dejected eyes of my baby, though I knew them well enough. Ignoring the little sniffle from the backseat, I just kept on driving. I guess she did know of some heartache, but I would do all I could to protect her from most of it.

"Denali," I muttered to myself. "Everything will be better in Denali."

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**I have read a lot of New Moon AU stories on here, and in doing that, I have created one of my own in my wandering mind. They're my favorite Twilight ff's. I've never written anything before, but I read a whole lot. Let me know what you think...?**


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